FINAL FANTASY TACTICS II THE DRAGON WAR

Chapter 1- The Bond

Delita Hyral and Ovelia Atkascha walked toward Murond, religious capital of Ivalice. They were to rendevous with a group of warriors led by Delita's best friend and former comrade.

They, thought murdered, had secretly fled the Royal family of Ivalice. They had planned with Ramza Beoulve and his companions, also thought dead, to rescue Olan Durai who was going to be executed as a Heritic by burning at the stake.

Ramza Beoulve and Agrias Oaks, his Fiance and also a Holy Knight, had learned of this through a network of information, most of which was brought to them by Mustadio Bunanza's father; Besrodio.

"They'll begin soon. Just so we have the plan clear; Ovelia, Orlandu, Beowulf, and Meliadoul will be with me and come around the front," Delita said.

"Right, and Agrias, Reis, Malak, and Rafa will be with me. And we'll circle around the back. That leaves Mustadio, Alma, and Worker 8 to cover the roof." Ramza responded.

The small unit made final preparations for their rescue mission. It would start a wildfire, reavealing that Ramza and his Heretical allies were still alive, but Olan had been a powerful ally during the Lion War, aiding both Ramza and Delita. In fact it had been Olan that had orchestrated Ovelia and Delita's "murder"

"Olan Durai , You have been charged with the crime of Heresy and found guilty by a jury of your peers. The sentence is death by burning at the stake. Have you any last words?" The High Priest Jazam al Bkaer asked. Olan spat in the High Priests face. "Burn in hell." The priest wiped the spittle from his face and motioned to the executioner to light the kindling around the post.

The flames rose around around Olan. The temperature around him was soaring, and the smoke suffocating him. Then out of the flames jumped Ramza, sword drawn, ready to begin his assault

Witnesses fled left and right only to bump into Delita's group. Ramza cleaved off the Executioner's head then freed Olan. He threw the unconscious Astonomer over his shoulder still cutting his opponents down with his free hand.

A bevy of Priests and Priestesses ran right into Orlandu's grasp. "Are ready to meet God?" Orlandu asked, casting Holy Explosion, and completely obliterating all traces of this large group of Priests.

This battle continued, with blood bathing the ground, and bodies piling up. Despite his best efforts to flee the massacre, soon Ramza's band had the High Priest against a wall. Olan had recovered consciousness by this time and stepped forward toward the servant of a false savior. He extended his hand as if waiting for a weapon. Mustadio stepped forward and placed a gun in Olan's hand. "Heretic, huh? I hereby execute you on the charge of misleading the people of this land. If you don't like this world, stay in the one your going to... Hell" Olan stated flatly; firing off five rounds right into the High Priest's head.

"The Hokuten have a new leader, its one of Dycedarg's old cronies, a samurai named Amida, and he's out to avenge Dycedarg's death. The Nanten are enlisting the help of the Northern Wutai Empire, whose ensignia is the Great Dragon." Olan explained as they marched across the wilderness. "Come, we must hurry to Goug, Besrodio is waiting." Orlandu said, running up next to his adopted son. Olan nodded, he was overjoyed to see his father still alive. "Its good that you're safe, boy," Orlandu added with a grin.

Later, after they reached Goug, they could relax their guard. In the slums of the Mechanical City no one would be looking for them. In the more relaxing atmosphere, Ramza and Orlandu retold the story of the Final battle against the False Zodiac Braves and The Bloody Angel; Altima.

"Alma was down and Agrias on the verge of Death in Ramza's arms, He also near death. We all were suffering from Altima's onslaught" Orlandu began. "It was indeed so fierce, that even I was badly wounded ."

"The thanks should all go to Cid and Reis." Ramza said "Orlandu's final Holy Explosion Attack, in conjunction with one of Reis' Holy Breath Attacks was what defeated Altima." Ramza went on. "The Airship we were on though Exploded. We were all sent flying and when we awoke we were in Zarghis Trade City. We stayed there for a few months recouperating, during which and I sent Messanger to Delita and Ovelia under the name Agrias and Ramza Ruglia. After our plan was set into motion we set out to Goug."

"This is when Ovelia and I approached you about faking our deaths." Delita chimed in.

Olan sat there attempting to absorb this new information. It was indeed a work of art when it came to plots. The heretical troupe of warriors would regain strength in secret, then resume their quest against the church and their false messiah, St. Ajora.

Little did they know, fate had other plans for them.

Lesalia, Royal capital of Ivalice. A man dressed in a kimono and hakama sat in his office with his hand on the hilt of his Muramasa.

"Sir, we've confirmed, Ramza Beoulve is alive. As is the Imposter King, Delita, and Queen Ovelia. Many of the other fighters thought dead are also confirmed alive." A Knight reported to Commander Amida, a top notch Samurai and friend of the late Dycedarg Beoulve.

"Was Olan Durai Successfully Executed?" Amida asked.

"Er...No, sir. But we do have the information on Ramza. He has spent the last five years with his small army of twelve elite fighters, all on record. One is missing however, and there was no information on him. We questioned a flower girl in Zarghidas Trade City; she claimed to know nothing of him. We assumed she was lying and had her executed. He has rescued Olan Durai and massacred a whole platoon of Hokuten Knights." The Knight said.

"Lt. Do you know why we need Ramza Beoulve dead, besides to avenge my dear friend Dycedarg?" Amida said drawing his Muramasa sword.

"N-no sir..." the Soldier replied nervously. "Because the Atkaschas booted the Beoulves out of Power ten generations ago. Ramza Beoulve, as the only surviving male heir, is the true king. Dycedarg was to oust Orinas once he took the throne and restore Beoulve to power. But if Ramza finds out that he is the true King it will be very difficult for the Hokuten. We must sieze the Zodiac stones they carry to revive those we have lost to the Lion War.

Amida stood bringing his sword to the ready."But the task at hand is to eliminate failures" Amida said.

The Knight unsheathed his sword to prevent Amida's strike. The effort was futile as the blade was cleaved in two as Amida struck. The knight's body spewed a geyser of blood as his head seperated from his shoulders. Amida motioned to his men standing guard to remove the body.

Ramza held the Leo Zodiac stone in his hand. The battle against Hashmalum had been difficult, almost as fierce as the following conflict with Altima. The Leo sign was that of his birth and therefore it resonated fiercely around him. But what did it really want with him?

Ramza thought back to the night when they returned from the Dark netherrealm of the Death City.

-----------------------------------------Flash Back------------------------- ----------------

Ramza was packing, geting ready to leave. He heard a knock on his door and when he opened it, there was Agrias.

She wasn't in her cold blue-grey armor but in a white silk nightgown, which accented all her feminine beauty which was usually hid away.

"You're leaving?" she asked.

"It's for the best that Alma and I disappear. We're dead, remember? And with a heretic around, you'll all be in danger." Ramza said.

"I see. But what if you can't ever come back once you leave?" Agrias went on, with the pain behind the words obvious in her azure eyes. Ramza stopped and turned around. He looked her right in the eyes. She was crying. Was this Agrias Oaks the Holy Knight and Captain of the Gaurd of Princess Ovelia? No, this was Agrias the woman and her heart was tearing in two. If she had stabbed him in his heart, it would have been less painful than watching those tears course down her face.

"What am I supposed to do when you've gone?"

He stared at Agrias, his own heart bleeding. She was the only thing making it hard for him to leave. He had made an effort to hide his feelings for her around his troupe. But the two were alone now, and their souls were crying out to each other.

"Agrias, what are you saying?"

She stared toward the fire.

"Ramza, I remember when we first met, I thought you were too young and handsome to be a warrior, but then I saw you in battle and that doubt was cast aside. I knew I could depend on you."She began. "And when Ovelia and I were decieved and captured, I hoped against hope that you would come, and you did."

Ramza laughed softly "Yeah, I charged headlong into the fray when I learned you were in trouble."

"I knew at that moment that I had feelings for you, even though we'd known each other only a short time. And watching you as you suffered through horrible twist of fate after horrible twist of fate with a smile to hide your pain, it was agony knowing that you hid them just to help us all be strong. You never thought of yourself for an instant."

Ramza's eyes were cast down at the floor, the pain threatening to erupt. How could she see through him so clearly? He looked up at Agrias, the tears flowing freely from his eyes.

"Agrias, I don't want to leave. In fact it's you that makes it hard for me to go."

"Then don't leave. Stay with us, with me. Don't hide the feelings that

know you have." she wimpered.

"I-"

Agrias did not let him finish as she walked to him and wrapped her arms around him. She buried her face in his tunic. Ramza didn't need words anymore. Just the act of returning her embrace was enough to say what both knew.

"Ramza?"

"What is it Agrias"

"Make love to me. I want to bond myself with you. You and no other."

Ramza stared at her eyes, those beatiful pools of azure, so much like pools of deep cool water. She was the most beautiful creature that he'd seen, and he would have loved nothing less than to be with her forever. He planted a deep kiss firmly on her mouth, her soft lips parting to accept. Ramza swept Agrias up in his arms and carried her to his bed.

Setting her down gently and began kissing her neck and slid the straps of the nightgown off her shoulders as she pulled his beige tunic over his head and off his body, tossing aside to the floor. Agrias tilted her head up and met her lips with his. Those blissful, sweet lips, Ramza thought to himself as thier tongues danced. His hands traveled the cool soft terrain of her skin, climbing the mounds of her breasts, each of which received a kiss, his tongue dancing aross the nipple. He wanted to be careful, she seemed so delicate he was afraid he'd hurt her. But it was her who begged him to take her, by wrapping her legs aroung his thieghs, drawing him closer to her. Ramza conceded defeat and pulled his slacks free, and the two began their love making. Slow at first, then fast, and again slow.

When they felt each other go over the edge they kissed again, the low candlelight glistening of their sweaty skin.

Ramza was pensive as he lay there stroking Agrias' golden locks. She lay with her face on his chest and her hand tracing circles on his left pectoral muscle.

"I can't go Agrias." Ramza finally said

"What?" she asked, propping herself up to look into his crimson eyes.

"I'm staying. I can't desert my friends, my comrades. And ... I can't leave you."

She kissed him again and as the candle finally went out.

-------------------------------------Back in the Present-------------------- ---------------

Agrias had bound herself to him at her own will. They shared a bond. An unbreakable bond. It was her that made him stay and take his stand against the Church of Murond. She would be with him until the very end

END CHAPTER 1

Wow its hard to believe its been almost five years since I began this work. I apologize to those who've been waiting for an update, I have been a little absent due to some major negeticce occurances in my life. But I have made a resolution to finish this work. As you can see this is a re-edit, so I hope you enjoy the updated version of this tale.

Chap 2- A Brother's Return: Being re-written and coming soon